Forgetting the Past
by Tak the Wonder
Summary: Maya & her little sister Michaela, are on the run. A crazy seeker has been tracking them and they need a place to hide. To make life better for her and her sister, Maya must find the Caves and family that exiled her and her mother so many years ago.
1. Prologue

A/N: Please enjoy, read & review this. Please give me your honest opinion.

Prologue: A blinding light.

I was blinded. The world around me was purely light itself. The light gave no sight; it only caused me pain, and panic. I had to stop it from coming back; I lay hidden behind the refrigerator, it was a the worst and best place to hide, it was way to cramped for me and Michaela but it was still big enough for use to hide without being seen at all. Michaela's wispy blonde hair was in my face, as I held her against me. She was only 6 and didn't keep quiet easily, so I reluctantly put my hand over her mouth. The darkness fell again and the flashlight's beam went away, I could barley make out the thin slit letting me see the world beyond the back of the cramped refrigerator. The seekers were right there and they couldn't see me. Michaela's arm wriggled a little and she held my hand; I grasped her small hand and tried to keep her quiet.

But as soon as the light came back through the cracks against the wall, she froze and so did I. I could feel every bone in my body freeze, my blood stop and my breath seize back into my lungs. My muscles ached from the cramped space pushing on them but I didn't dare move. I knew what the seekers would do if they found us. I wouldn't let that happen, I had to protect Michaela, she needed to be safe, and so did I.

I could hear voices coming from the other side, people but they weren't people they were parasites in hiding, unable to show their alien faces on our planet so they took ours. They were trying to comfort me, trying to find me, they expected me to come out and give myself up. I would never give up. There voices echoed through my ears like music, soft and appealing, I didn't let myself listen.

"Please come out we just want to help. Tell us where you are, we don't mean to hurt you or scare you…" A voice interrupted them, it was shrill and angry, probably frustrated as well.

"Come on agents, she's not here, the map doesn't show this place. Her family didn't use it for hiding, so I guess we should try the place in Ashbury."

"No, we've already checked Ashbury, we captured all the wild ones there too. She wouldn't be there if she knew were watching it. This one's too smart to fall for that."

I was angry that they were talking about me like I wasn't here, but for all they knew I wasn't.

"I guess we should go back to base, do a thermal check and we can get out of here."

A thermal check! Now they would see us. I had to get out here, I needed a diversion! I took in one last silent breath and prepared to run. I knew they'd be outside waiting and watching their thermal scanners. I needed to go through the back, it was my only hope, and it was our only hope.

As soon as I knew they were in the other room setting up the scanners, I pushed the fridge just about a quarter inch and then creaked it forward a little more. With great care not to make a sound, I pushed it far enough that Michaela could squeeze through and she could help me out. I motioned to my little sister and she knew what to, she climbed over my crouched body and through the large crack. I could barley see her small figure on the other side.

She grabbed my outstretched wrists and pulled, after a minute of quiet pulling… I was through. But then suddenly at the last second Michaela fell back and her back hit the old kitchen counter, hitting on of the cracked boards on the bottom half of the counter. They made a load sound as she hit them and made noticeable gash in the wood. I yanked her back up and realized I could hear the fainted sound of footsteps against old carpeting, and a gentle creaking along the aged floor. I grasp Michaela's wrist and bolted, not even caring if I was heard, because we needed to get out of here fast.

I ran the short distance from the kitchen door to the small parlor, filled with old, faded pink chairs and black and white pictures on the walls. I saw a large window over looking the garden and decided to make my diversion. I picked up a large vase, weighted it in my hands and aimed.

When the vase hit the glass it shattered a sizable hole in it, and left glass shards all over. I grabbed Michaela's hand and ran for the next room, this time it was the veranda. It was a small mosquito netted enclosure that the old woman had used to house her many colorful plants. But now the only thing living here were bugs and the corpses of forgotten flowers, gray and faded like an old watercolor painting. I grasped my knife from my belt and began to get to work. I cut a hole just big enough for Michaela and I to climb through.

But just as I did, I heard a swish coming from behind me. I looked behind me and saw a gray smudged figure coming towards us, I reached for Michaela's hand but it was too late. I looked down at my little sister she was laying on the ground and there was something glowing off the skin on her arm. I touched her arm, but it felt to cold to be alive. When shook her and she didn't respond, without taking any chances I carried Michaela's small body through the hole in the netting. My feet squeezed silently against the cold-dewed grass as I ran.

I ran, I ran so far I couldn't remember how far I'd gone. I was thankful for the darkness blanketing me and keeping me safe, and there was no sound only the sharpness of my breathing and the pounding of my feet on the gravel road.

I came to a large park, it was cold and I had no blankets but I assumed it was the safest place to sleep. I had slept in the open many times before, but never with so much fear. I found a large tree surrounded by a couple of other trees and sat under it. I found a nice, large root to set Michaela down on. I looked at her; she looked like she was completely at peace. But I knew something was wrong, she was too quiet, I could barley here her breathing and she wasn't moving. I moved closer to her and examined her arm, and there in the faintest moonlight I saw it.

They had shot Michaela with a drugged No Pain dart.

She was knocked out cold; she wouldn't be awake for a while. I thought over the night's events and found that if the dart had hit me, we wouldn't have gotten away. I was almost thankful she had been hit. It had been too close this time. We needed help. We needed to find safe place to live.

We needed to find the Caves, and the others.


	2. A Raid & Run

I had seen Andy in the darkness months ago, hiding from the same seekers. He had been hiding behind a trashcan, and at first I thought he was spying on me, maybe just a scared parasite waiting to call the police on me. But when I approached, I knew I was wrong. Sure enough it was Andy, my cousin who I hadn't seen in years. In fact, I hadn't seen another human in years either.

"_Maya???" He stared at me with a suspicious look on his face. _

"_Andy it's you!!" He was still puzzled, but he stood up into the light and showed his face, in the dim moonlight I looked at his eyes, and was relived to see they were their original gray-blue. He must have noticed I was the same, because he was smirking. He hugged me, I was so happy to see someone I knew._

"Maya seriously don't sneak up on a guy like that," He looked around for anyone who might be watching us." Hey! I know a place we can talk it's not to far away want to come?"

"_Sure." I smiled Andy hadn't changed. _

_He walked me to a small ditch not to far away from the road leading to the mobile home park I'd been hiding. We spent the night chatting in the dirt, and catching up on old times._

"_Wow I can't believe your Dad was the first to get caught. I though Josh was a fighter."_

"_The parasite used him to find us…. it was so scary, his eyes they weren't the same and the way he talked, it sounded like he wasn't the same anymore. We should have known he'd been taken over. Do you talk to Jeb & Wes anymore??" It was a touchy question but I decided to bring it up._

"_Well I was going to get to that. The caves haven't been the same without you guys. Why don't you and Michaela come back with me, I can take you back to the raid camp and we can take you home."_

"_You know I can't go back Andy. Not after the way they treated us." He looked at me sympathetically. Andy & Heidi had been the only ones to believe us._

"_I can convince Jeb to let you come back please, besides your Mom isn't even alive anymore, how can he hold her against you?" I looked _

"_Andy, my Mom was one of them, she was just undercover for the parasites, and he suspected her and kicked her out that was the smart thing to do. He doesn't trust me, none of them do."_

"_Maya either face the past or put yourself and Michaela in danger it's the only way don't you want to be safe??" I gave him an angry glare, he just didn't understand_

"_You are never safe, around people who will never trust you, Andy. I just can't go back there." He stopped and looks at me, we sat in silence for about a minute until he got. _

"_Well if you'd rather not come with me, then fine. I just wanted to help you Maya…. Say hello to little Michaela for me." Then he turned to go, and climb out of the ditch. _

_He turned to look at me one last time._

"_You know what maybe Jeb's right not to trust you Maya." And he stormed off into the night. _

This same dream had plagued me all night. I woke in a cold sweat, and shaking it was a night I never forgot. I got up out of my small space in between the trees and stretched, my mind still plagued with old thoughts.

I looked over to find Michaela lying comfortly beside side me. She was breathing again, and I thankful. I was pretty early, so it was the perfect time to get some breakfast. We hadn't eaten since the seeker's noticed our hiding place, so we were starving.

"Hey Michie want to get some food?" I gave her a shook and she groggily sat up, she looked puzzled.

"Where are we sissy??" I smiled; she probably didn't remember anything since the No Pain dart.

"Well I guess were in a park."

"Did we getaway from those mean people sissy?"

"Yes, we did but it was pretty close. But right now we need to find some breakfast."

"Great. I'm really hungry anyway." She sat up and stretched her short little legs.

I got our morning hideout supplies out of my backpack: two pairs of sunglasses, and a jacket for Michaela, and my cowboy hat. They would help a lot to make us blend in and make sure no one knew we were human. For all they knew we were a parasite mother and daughter going for an early morning stroll.

I put on Michaela's little pink sunglasses and jacket, and my hat and sunglasses, and we were off. Many times we had hidden like this among the parasites, going by fake names and scavenging for what food we could get for little or no money. That usually mean's stealing but I thought maybe today we could find something that would last longer, because I had a feeling we would be one the run pretty soon.

We walked through streets, as the sun rose into the sky, only stopping to greet a few smiling parasites along the way. After a few blocks I found a diner that looked pretty empty and decided to get something to eat.

It was called Marigold's Diner, as we came inside we were greeted by a parasite with a nametag that said Allie and she got us a table. We order pancakes, because they were Michaela's favorite. We ate them and I even bought some rolls and another stack of waffles for later, we would need them. But sadly after our breakfast treat I had no money, so I'd have to scavenge for something.

We spent two more nights there, living in the park. And as I got used to the neighborhood, I began to learned things. I learned that the parasites that lived close by were out visiting friends in California, and would be back in a couple of days. I also learned, that they had left one of their cars in the garage and no one was home. It was perfect, I could get a car & I could get enough food to last us a long time.

So after planning it all out I decided to do the raid. I left Michaela in the back lot behind Marigold's Diner, and told her not to move, but being 6 she probably would, but hopefully not to far.

I made my way toward the house at about Midnight, and concealing myself in the shadows I began to do my work. When I reached the large oak doors, I pushed on the door and of coarse it was open, because parasites don't believe in locking doors.

I slid the door open carefully, and entered. I was pitch black and I couldn't see a thing, but as I squinted I saw the outline of the room. It was painted blue and the chairs by the windows were girly and floral, and the house was kept quite clean and I couldn't make out anything could leave out of place on accident.

As soon as the coast was clear, I ran for the kitchen and stuffed my bags with all the food I could carry. Candy bars, bags of chips, delicious vegetables and fruits. There were granola bars and turkey sandwiches & something I hadn't eaten in months, sliced bread. I looked so delicious, but I had to wait, we'd need all this when we were on the road. As I grabbed the last of the food I could get, I heard the click of a door opening.

Acting on impulse, I ran for the garage hoping to get there just in time to get away without them seeing me. If the parasites by chance saw me, or noticed anything wrong, they'd call the neighborhood watch, who would call the seekers and they'd find us. But this time we might not be as lucky.

I bolted to the car threw open the doors, and pushed my bags into the backseat. Running to the grab the keys by the door, I noticed something. The door was creaked open, and someone was watching me. I stood completely still, while they door opened and a parasite came out. He looked about 40 and had messy auburn hair and a mustache. He had seen me the whole time and he needed to be taken out.

Very carefully I reached for a pipe lying askew on the floor next to the door, and swung.

When the pipe hit the man, he stumbled back and fell. I hadn't knocked him out so it would take him a second to grab his phone and call the seekers.

I dropped the pipe and took off. Clutching the car keys, I pushed open the car door and fumbled with the keys, and by the time the car was on, the man was up again. And this time he had a phone to his ear.

I grabbed the stick shift and got read to roll, but as I drove off the seekers were already on my tail. I could hear their sirens blare behind me as I turned the corner, and by the time I was only a block away from Marigold's Diner, they had found me.

I accelerated the car down the street at crazy speed, as the seeker's bright blue vans followed. Soon they were so close I could see their beady eyes staring at me as I turned the corner to Marigold's Diner. I heard my tires screech as I pulled into the pack of the diner, and thankfully found Michaela waiting for me patiently behind a dumpster. Grabbing her, we ran down to the car and after shoving her in the passenger's seat, I jumped back in.

Soon we could hear the sirens echoing through the dark alleys behind us, we drove off. It was way to close to drive to next city and hide there; we'd need to go to the Cave's. It was my last resort, by there was no way we could hide anymore out here.

So when I found the highway a few blocks away, I passed through the gas station and drove across the street this time out into the desert beyond.

I was still pitch black and the night would hide us, for the rest of the night. As I drove off I prayed in the back of my mind that the seekers hadn't seen me drive across the desert. Just for precaution I turned off my lights, so they would see them, but not only could I see them but I couldn't see the road ahead, I was taking a huge risk and hoped for the best. My mom had always said I had the luck of the devil, well when she was actually my mom she did.


	3. A Dark Desert

We kept on driving in complete darkness for about a half-hour, it was so quiet in the car that I could hear our breathing silently exhaling and inhaling. My eyes darted across the windshield every few seconds, rotating from the windshield to the rear view mirrors and back to the windshield.

I was surprised Michaela wasn't crying or screaming like any other little girl her age was, well then again kids her age weren't supposed to live like us.

Suddenly I heard the screech of tires, my eyes darted around for a clue to what it had come from, but I couldn't see anything. Just as I was about the take in a sign of relief, I heard another sound.

This time it was the sound of a gunshot, and then again the distant sound of tires screeching. Suddenly glancing back I saw in the distance about 3 bright blue seeker vans, all with their headlights on full blast. The light from the headlights glared into my rearview mirrors, and blinded me for a second. Blindly, I reached for the steering wheel and swerved the car into a u-turn, surprising the seekers who were expecting a high speed, one direction chase. I leaned on the steering wheel, for another second trying desperately to get out of range of the headlights.

"Michaela tighten your seatbelt, and lean into the seat, this might get a little risky." She nodded, and giggled. While I thought sarcastically to myself,.

"Sometimes I wonder why my little sister loves high-speed chases…"

I could have laughed at the thought if I wasn't so terrified.

I drove in the darkness at crazy speed, with dirt flying around the car. Soon I could hear the faint sound of helicopter blades. I glanced behind me hoping, my trick had worked. I prayed silently in the back of mind, that I'd gotten away. After freaking out from the helicopter blades, I speeded up without thinking sending the car down a dune way too fast.

Upon going down the dune, I hit a hidden rock and felt the world turn in a circle, and was we were flying. I grimaced and waited for the pain soon to come, a splitting pain came up my spine as the car rotated right into a rock making a huge crash as sparks flew around us.

I squinted in the darkness and assessed the damage. With the strangest luck I realized the rock we'd hit had hid us completely and that seekers were coming right at us but would never see the car, just a huge rock.

Suddenly I heard the distant sound of tires stopping, car doors slamming and clamoring voices. I listened quietly at the sounds of the seekers confusion, and rejoicing in my own victory.

"We've lost her again Quince. " A frustrated female voice said, coming from behind the rock.

"No, that's impossible! Lights upon Leaves, how we checked everywhere?"

I recognized the voice, it was always frustrated and agitated, but I guess that was my fault. This was my seeker's voice I probably heard it dozens of times and never seen the seeker's face.

"She came up this dune and then disappeared. We can get the helicopters out here in the morning, but for now there's no way we can keep searching in this darkness."

"But can you see that's what the human wants, don't you know that after six months of tracking her??"

"That's true sir, but don't you see it's useless driving all night to find this one human. But with the helicopters we can look al over the desert from the sky and we have her in our custody by the evening. "

_Helicopters. _That was word I hated to hear. It was impossible to hide from them especially in the desert, which was why I had to travel at night when there were helicopters around. Nighttime was horrible in the desert, even with my devilish luck the darkness made the sand in front of me impossible to see. There could be a ditch the size of the Grand Canyon in front of me and I could see it.

I'd have to drive fast if I wanted to find a safe place to hide for tomorrow

We'd driven all night the next day, taking only a few minutes every, couple hours to rest before driving off into the darkness again. Countless times we'd fallen into ditches each one worst then the next.

Michaela was quietly sleeping most of the time, like any kid on a road trip. The sound of her breathing, rising and falling and the sound of tires on rough sand were the only rhythms engulfing the night around me.

Driving in the desert or even being in the desert made me always scared and brought back memories from the my last days at the Caves and the days I waited for my mom to come home.

_I'd stayed in the cold sand all night, waiting for her. It had been Michaela's idea to stay out and wait for her, though she'd been the first to fall asleep. _

_I brushed the blonde curls out of Michaela's face gently. She was only four, and missed her mother terribly, and she so, needed her mother. I knew I wasn't the best temporary mom, getting into trouble and doing the stupidest things around the Cave's._

_I truly missed my mom though it had only been a week, she was my best friend, and always knew what was best. I had, had a hard time making new friends in the Caves. Everything was so different than in the outside world. We almost always had fresh food, and yet everyone treated every crumb like it was last thing they'd eat, and they treated every risk you tried to take like a it would probably killed you. _

_Such carefulness when it came to everything was hard for me. I guess that came from the being on the run so long, I was used to taking risks. But now I was in the Caves. I had my whole life to look forward to in the safeness of these rock walls. _

_But for a reckless 14-year old the safeness was suffocating. I had begged Jeb to let me go with Jared and Andy on raids, but was always refused. He would always say: _

"_Please Maya, let's wait another year. It was way too close last time, with more and more parasite security around Arizona." _

_He had the same excuse every time, and her mother had the same. So what if, my mother went on raids, and left me back home, to take care of an annoying four-year old. So what if I needed to be out in clear air for a while, her mother always sided with Jeb. He was the leader, and she listened. _

_My mother had always told us as a kid she never followed the rules, always a rebel, but how come she didn't follow that when she was a mother?? _

_Stupid motherly instincts. _

_I sat up in the sand for some time, listening to the soft wind brush the and off the top of the dunes, the moon above shining as my only light._

_I heard the almost silent sound of motorcycle parking not to far away. Its proububly coming from the place we hide the cars. I caught a glimpse something across from the dunes closest to the cave entrance. _

_A tall figure approached me, with her long arms swung out to hug me. _

_There on the top of the dunes, was my mother Julianne Gerald's. She ran down the sandy hills kicking forgotten sand up behind her. As the moonlight shone on her I caught a glimpse at her. _

_I was always her spitting image, my dad had always said. Same long curly blonde hair, same pesky long legs that always got in the way, same persistent blue eyes, and the same risky rebel attitude. I laughed at the thought. _

_I shook Michaela, and she gave me a stern, you-didn't-just-wake-me-up look. But then her sprits changed when she saw mom, as they always did. Mom hugged us and we laughed and told her how much we'd missed her, how much we loved her. _

_But as we looked up into her eyes, everything changed. _


End file.
